FamilySearch Genealogy Skill

Two modes of operation:

1. 1. Live API (primary) — Query FamilySearch directly for person search, pedigree, descendants, historical records
2. Offline GEDCOM — Parse exported .ged files for local exploration, narratives, and statistics

Mode 1: FamilySearch API (Primary)

Prerequisites

1. 1. FamilySearch Account — Free at
2. Developer App Key — Register at
3. OAuth 2.0 Access Token — Via authentication flow below

Store credentials:

Option A — Environment variable (all platforms):
CODEBLOCK0

Option B — macOS Keychain:
CODEBLOCK1

The script checks FAMILYSEARCH_TOKEN env var first, then falls back to macOS Keychain.

Authentication

OAuth 2.0 Authorization Code flow:

1. 1. Direct user to: INLINECODE2
2. User logs in, grants access
3. Exchange code for token:

curl -X POST "https://ident.familysearch.org/cis-web/oauth2/v3/token" \
  -d "grant_type=authorization_code&code={AUTH_CODE}&client_id={APP_KEY}"

1. 4. Store returned access_token in Keychain

Sandbox for testing: https://integration.familysearch.org / INLINECODE5

API Usage

CODEBLOCK3

Command	Description
INLINECODE6	Search persons in Family Tree
INLINECODE7

Get person details |
| ancestry <PID> --generations 4 | Ascending pedigree (1-8 generations) |
| descendants <PID> --generations 2 | Descending tree |
| parents <PID> | Get parents |
| spouses <PID> | Get spouses |
| children <PID> | Get children |

Search parameters: --given, --surname, --birth-date, --birth-place, --death-date, --death-place, INLINECODE19

Results use GEDCOM X format (JSON). Key fields: persons[].id, persons[].display.name, .birthDate, .birthPlace, .deathDate, .deathPlace.

Ahnentafel numbering in ancestry: 1=subject, 2=father, 3=mother, 4=paternal grandfather, etc.

Mode 2: Offline GEDCOM Files

For exported .ged files from FamilySearch, Ancestry, MyHeritage, etc. No API key needed — pure offline.

Getting a GEDCOM File

FamilySearch: familysearch.org → Family Tree → Tools → Export GEDCOM

Usage

CODEBLOCK4

Command	Description
INLINECODE27	Fuzzy name search — returns matches with IDs
INLINECODE28

Full profile: birth, death, parents, spouses, children |
| ancestors <id_or_name> [depth] | Pedigree chart up (default: 4 generations) |
| descendants <id_or_name> [depth] | Pedigree chart down (default: 3 generations) |
| story <id_or_name> | Narrative biography paragraph |
| timeline <id_or_name> | Chronological life events |
| stats | Tree summary: counts, surnames, birth decades, completeness |
| find-date <year> | Find people born/died in a given year |
| common-ancestor <name1> <name2> | Find closest common ancestor |

INLINECODE36: GEDCOM ID (e.g., I001) or partial name (fuzzy, case-insensitive).

Narrative Genealogy

Beyond data retrieval, this skill supports narrative genealogy — connecting facts to stories:

• - Note occupations, migrations, life events when exploring a tree
• Cross-reference API/GEDCOM data with stories the user shares conversationally
• Build family narratives that explain why — not just dates and names
• Flag research opportunities: missing records, undocumented branches, conflicting dates
• Use story command (GEDCOM mode) for auto-generated biographical narratives

Agent Workflow

1. 1. User asks about family history → Check if they have a FamilySearch account (API) or GEDCOM file (offline)
2. API mode: Search by name → get person ID → explore ancestry/descendants/relationships
3. GEDCOM mode: Load file → search → explore
4. Either mode: Combine structured data with user's oral history for richer narratives
5. Cross-reference: Use API to find records that fill gaps in GEDCOM data

Rate Limits & Best Practices

• - FamilySearch API is free but rate-limited — cache results locally
• Never store FamilySearch usernames/passwords — OAuth tokens only
• Tokens expire; re-authenticate on 401 responses
• GEDCOM parser handles files up to ~100K individuals
• File encoding: auto-detects UTF-8 (with BOM), UTF-8, latin-1